Open Space and Mountain Parks Visitor Plan
Implementation

The Boulder City Council approved an amended version of the proposed Visitor Master Plan on April 12, 2005. The plan and many associated documents are available at Final Visitor Master Plan. A history of BATCO's involvement in the development of the plan can be found at BATCO's OSMP Visitor Master Plan pages.

The implementation stages of the VMP have now begun. The OSMP staff is planning a series of Trail Study Area (TSA) projects to determine future trail accesses, modifications, and closures on open space properties. These study projects will take several years to complete. The OSMP staff's implementation proposal (available at VMP Implementation Proposal) indicates that they intend to keep most of the areas without designated trails open to existing uses until trail studies are completed and appropriate visitor access has been provided.

Trails Suitability and Evaluation Criteria

As an initial step in the Trail Study Area (TSA) process, the OSMP staff held a series of public meetings to help determine a set of Trails Suitability and Evaluation Criteria. These criteria will be used to evaluate trails alternatives during the various TSA projects. BATCO participated in the meetings. Our recommendations regarding the criteria are available at BATCO Trails Criteria Recommendations. The final OSMP criteria are available at OSMP Trails Suitability and Evaluation Criteria . to the OSMP

Habitat Conservation Area Off-Trail Permits

As part of the implementation of the Visitor Master Plan, the city of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) Department will require off-trail permits beginning Monday, March 12, for people who walk off-trail through Habitat Conservation Areas (HCAs) in the Western Mountain Parks, the Southern Grasslands and the Lower Boulder Creek. Maps of these HCAs and applications for permits can be found at OSMP Off-Trail Permits. Visitors who remain on designated trails in HCAs do not need a permit. Designated trails have been marked with signs that include a trail name. OSMP plans to designate more HCAs in the system as more planning processes are completed.

Prior to implementing this program, the OSMP staff held a series of public meetings to help determine the rules for an Off-Trail Permit process to allow some controlled off-trail public access to Habitat Conservation Areas. The OSMP staff developed a set of alternatives for public comments (a copy of the alternatives can be found at OSMP Off-Trail Permit Alternatives). BATCO participated in the planning meetings. Our recommendations regarding the alternatives are available at BATCO Off-Trail Alternatives Recommendations.

Trail Study Area Projects

The OSMP staff has now begun the Trail Area Study projects. From 2005 to 2008 the staff expects to complete eleven such projects. Extensive details about the projects are available at the OSMP website at OSMP TSA Plans. A map of the project areas is available at Trail Study Areas Map.

We've included the schedules for the TSA projects below. BATCO intends to be involved in all of the study projects. For completed projects and those that are presently underway, we've included links to the project details and our recommendations.

Marshall Mesa/Southern Grasslands TSA

Eldorado Mountain/Doudy Draw TSA

• Marshall Mesa / Southern Grasslands TSA. In West Marshall Mesa Passive

Recreation Area, East Marshall Mesa Natural Area, and Southern Grasslands Habitat

Conservation Area. Includes consideration of new trailhead at City Limits property.

• Eldorado Mountain / Doudy Draw TSA. In Eldorado Mountain Habitat Conservation

Area and the portion of Doudy Draw Natural Area west of State Highway 93. Includes

access to Peanuts Wall and Mickey Mouse Wall climbs.

• North Foothills TSA. In North Foothills Habitat Conservation Area.

• Tallgrass Prairie East TSA. In Tallgrass Prairie East Habitat Conservation Area.

Includes consideration of U.S. 36 underpass.

• Mountain Parks North TSA. In Flatirons/Mountain Backdrop Natural Area and part of

Flagstaff/ Chautauqua Passive Recreation Area. Includes access to non-contiguous

Sacred Cliffs climbs in the Western Mountain Parks Habitat Conservation Area.

• East Boulder / Dry Creek TSA. In East Boulder Natural Area and Dry Creek Passive

Recreation Area. Includes consideration of trail connections with Dry Creek trails.

• Mountain Parks South TSA. In Flatirons/Mountain Backdrop Natural Area.

• East Boulder / Teller TSA. In East Boulder Natural Area and East Boulder Valley

Agricultural Area. Includes consideration of East Boulder Valley trail.

• Shanahan / South Mesa TSA. In Shanahan Natural Area and South Mesa Passive

Recreation Area. Includes consideration of a possible connection between South Boulder

Creek Trail and Community Ditch Trail.

• Two additional TSAs